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Dress Code Policy

The principal is facing issues with students frequently violating the school's dress code policy and not wearing ID badges. There have been over 2,500 dress code violations this year alone. The principal needs to update the policy. Some key issues are that male teachers feel uncomfortable addressing dress code with female students, expectations are not enforced consistently, and parents do not support enforcing the policy. The principal proposes holding a meeting with parents and staff to clearly communicate the policy and consequences. Consequences for violations would include issuing replacement clothes/IDs and fees; repeated offenses would require a parent to pick the student up. The goal is to promote safety, integrity and fairness while supporting teachers.

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425 views

Dress Code Policy

The principal is facing issues with students frequently violating the school's dress code policy and not wearing ID badges. There have been over 2,500 dress code violations this year alone. The principal needs to update the policy. Some key issues are that male teachers feel uncomfortable addressing dress code with female students, expectations are not enforced consistently, and parents do not support enforcing the policy. The principal proposes holding a meeting with parents and staff to clearly communicate the policy and consequences. Consequences for violations would include issuing replacement clothes/IDs and fees; repeated offenses would require a parent to pick the student up. The goal is to promote safety, integrity and fairness while supporting teachers.

Uploaded by

api-550921670
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Dress Code Policy

Case Summary
            I am a principal of a high school with 2400 students, grades 9 – 12. I have a staff size of
150 teachers. My school is having a severe problem with students breaking the dress code policy
as well as not wearing their ID badges on their lanyard where they can always be seen. This year
alone, there have been 2500 violations of the dress code policy with many instances not being
recorded. I have been tasked with updating this policy.
Issues to Resolve

 Students are not taking this policy seriously.


 Some student’s violations are being recorded; others are not.
 Male teachers do not feel comfortable addressing the girls who are violating the dress
code policy.
 Expectations are not held throughout the building.
 Parents are not supporting the school by helping their children follow the dress code
policy.
Stakeholders Involved

 Administration
 Parents
 Students
 Teachers
Laws and/or Court Rulings
            Court rulings have gone back and forth about dress code and if schools are overstepping
their boundaries when trying to enforce their strict dress code policies. There is a case that took
place in Massachusetts that concluded that the district has a right to put in place a policy that
does not allow students to wear clothing such as saggy pants, vulgar apparel, or extremely
immodest attire. (Demitchell, 1997)
District Policy
            Policies in place for clothing are as follows:

 Extreme or slovenly clothing, including but not limited to, baggy or


“sagging” pants or shorts, excessively oversized jackets, or coats,
inappropriately short, tight, or revealing shorts, skirts, dresses, shirts,
etc., clothing that is torn, ripped or frayed.

 Clothing which displays obscene, vulgar, lewd, or sexually explicit words,


messages, or pictures.
Dress Code Policy
 Hats and bandannas.
 Clothing attachments or accessories which could be considered
weapons, including but not limited to spikes on boots, bracelets or
chokers, chains on wallets or belts, etc.

 Exaggerated cosmetics and body paint; exaggerated body piercing.


 Clothing that exposes bare midriffs, buttocks, or undergarments.
 Clothing that advertises a substance a student cannot legally possess. (Davis School
District, 2020)
Possible Solutions
            Knowing that this has been a large problem in this building for some time now, I think it
is time to set more rigid consequences when the dress code expectations are not followed. I
would hold a meeting with all parents and staff members before the next school year began. I
will state clearly what our dress code policy and ID expectations are and why it is imperative for
our students to follow them. Parents would be told that students who do not adhere to the dress
code policy on a first offense would have to report to the ISS room where clothes would be
given, or a new ID and lanyard would be given and a fee would be issued. If students refuse, they
will remain there the rest of the day. On the second offense, the parents would be called, and the
child would have to be picked up from the school by their guardian. If a student misses too many
days of school due to the violation of our dress code policy and expectations, they may be at risk
of not passing that grade or graduating from high school, which would mean they would need to
use their summer to make up those classes they missed. Teachers would not have to worry about
arguing with students who are not following the policy, and male teachers would not have to feel
uncomfortable trying to discuss the female students inappropriate dress with them.
Moral/Legal Consequences
            Parents could become upset at the thought of their child having to make up work or
retaking classes because of breaking school policies. Some parents may even want to move their
child schools due to the rigid expectations.

Rationale
            As a principal, the safety of my students is not my only concern, but my teachers and
staff as well. Male teachers, and all teachers, have the right to come to their workplace and not
fear that their job is constantly on the line because of something they may say, or something may
be taken incorrectly. Teachers are responsible for making all students feel safe and comfortable.
When students dress in a way that is distracting to the people around them and takes away from
their peers’ ability to learn or their teacher’s ability to teach, that is not acceptable. It can be
difficult for many teachers to have these awkward conversations with older students, and I feel
that the plan I have in place will help resolve a lot of the conflicts that have been taking place
and encourage students to follow the dress code more faithfully as well as wear their student IDs
on a lanyard like they have been asked to do. It has not been fair when some students have been
Dress Code Policy
written up and others have been allowed to pass. That does not promote integrity and fairness
throughout the school. All students and staff members must be held to the same level and
consequences always need to be enforced for our school to maintain a place of learning, trust,
and high expectations. This will also help our teachers feel safe in their positions as educators
and keep that professionalism. Meeting with all stakeholders will allow us to move forward with
the same level and clear understanding of the expectations that have been set in place.

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